THE DAILY PROPHET NEWS
STRANCE DOG RUNS AMUCK IN MUGGLE VILLAGE
A stray dog ran amuck in a Muggle village recently, giving many of the occupants who came into contact with the dog, quite a scare.
An 11-year old Muggle, who saw the incident was at a lost for words and could only manage: "I was walking home and his crazy black dog ran down the street towards me! So I stayed calm and walked to the other side of the street and I then I wasn't in front of the dog anymore."
While strangely not actually harming anyone, despite it’s obvious wildness, the stray did drive some others crazy, like this villager, a woman who wished to remain anonymous. "It was full of anger or something—when I looked into that darn dog’s eyes, it had the most maniacal face I had ever seen on such an animal!” This woman may strike you as a bit off the edge, but wait till you hear the rest of what she said: “Next, he got up halfway up the street and flew! Flew!!!" Minutes after we talked to her, she had fainted and was taken to the local hospital. Ministry of Magic members soon arrived, and cleared the Muggles’ memory.
"The dog was obviously trying to go some where. Very quickly I might add,” began a Hogsmeade vet, who had been called to the scene. “If he was magical it remains to be seen. These people could have been hallucinating as far as we know."
Initially, the dog did not attack anyone at first, but we found out otherwise when a few Ministry workers informed us that the dog had began biting around ten Muggles, farther down the street. All were in its path. Then apparently, witnesses tell us he flew the rest of the way, as the crazed woman had said.
Descriptions collected by several witnesses all seemed to agree that the dog had strangely human looking eyes, black mangled hair, a large muzzle, and was very big, yet thin. If you see it, Ministry officials ask that you send an owl with any information you can provide them from memory. The stray is most likely rabid and it’s best to keep your children indoors, unless you keep a very close eye on them. Be alert and calm.
COMPETITION FOR DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS POSITION HEATS UP
Hogwarts — Still no word today from Hogwarts headmaster, Professor Albus Dumbledore, who is being rumored to fill in for the vacant Defense against the Dark Arts teaching position this coming term. An inside source has confirmed that Dumbledore and his Deputy Headmistress, Professor Minerva McGonagall have conducted several interviews, but have reached no definite decisions.
It is also rumored however, that Dumbledore is facing pressure from the Hogwarts School Board o fGovernors to make a decision soon because the new school year begins in a matter of weeks. Additionally, in conjunction with this issue, many people are beginning to wonder if it is time for the professor to retire from his duties as headmaster. These arguments calling for his retirement began after the Triwizard Tournament, which was held at Hogwarts this past year, concluded with a competitor reportedly killed by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
Furthermore, during that same span of time, it was discovered, much to everyone’s shock, that a Professor Alastor Moody was actually the disguise of Barty Crouch Jr., whom was long believed to have been locked away in Azkaban prision. To date, the Ministry of Magic and Dumbledore have refused to release any more details about this particular incident. But on the contrary, Dumbledore is expected to make an announcement soon, regarding his hiring of Remus J. Lupin, a werewolf, who had taken up the job as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. But most observers wonder what colorful character will fill the position next. Will it be a troll, samurai, a mummy or a four-legged mull? And though I mean the best for the good professor, I just hope no more catastrophes occur at the school.
IS THE FIREBOLT REALLY THE BEST BROOM EVER MADE?
The Firebolt is currently the fastest broomstick in the world—or is it?
the noted Quidditch broomstick is in fact the best there is. But questions began to fly around the critics of witches and wizards everywhere. It seems that other people are expecting more from the company to produce a broomstick faster and better than the Firebolt. The makers of the Nimbus 2000 Series broomsticks are having stock problems, due to the fast demand of Firebolts in the Quidditch League and in the ordinary wizard shops. Their products decreased its normal holdings for the past years ever since the Firebolts were released in the public.
The superfine handle of ash it is, the Firebolt is made with a diamond-hard polish and hand-numbered with its own registration number, which is worth quite a lot of galleons. It’s bewitchment spell is also currently, the most advanced. It has an acceleration of 150 miles an hour in ten seconds and incorporates an unbreakable charm. Thus, the Firebolt Company didn’t give a word about this issue.
“We are glad about the Firebolt’s continual success and are currently experimenting some other products for our company,” says Mr. Elmer Baltimore, spokesperson of the Firebolt Company. Quidditch World Cup season draws nearer and die-hard fans can never contain their excitement and knowing this news, it doesn’t seem to help them.
AFRICAN TEAMS ARE ON THE ROAD TO GOLD
It's that time again the Quidditch Mini-Cup in Africa. South Africa is looking to be one of the strongest sides than Senegal this time around. The countries of the teams, which are pretty much ruled out for good results are Senegal, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, and Nigeria. With Senegal making it through to the mini-quarterfinals in the World Cup a couple years ago, they’re chance of making it into the second round is almost guranteed. The tournament is still growing in excitement with fans everywhere and the finals in Egypt shouldn’t be discovered by Muggle eyes, unless they’d have the nerve to go near a cursed tomb.
NEW ICEWIHIP RECIVES MILLIONS OF GALLEONS
On July 5th, WWWBC (World Wide Wizarding Brooms Corporation) issued a new Quidditch broom, only to be used in Quidditch matches. The six-foot, whitish-blue oak broom has slender pine twigs at the bottom of the stick. It is the sleekest broom ever known to the Wizard World, with its streamlined base and weight barely reaching five pounds. It exceeds the Firebolt's record speed at 2000 mph and can turn corners with a slight motion of the hand. However, you must have the VMG, which is an accessory only the wealth can afford, as it seems, considering the Virtual Movement Glove is going for a fetchy price of twenty Galleons. The broom itself can only be bought from QSE (Quidditch Supplies England) Magazine and National Quidditch Supplies in Britain for seventy Galleons. But the IceWhip isn’t the only broom out there&#!51;for a discount on a used broom, clip out this article and give it to NQS for a 10% rebate. Happy flying!